looking at cranes for some cabin and shop projects

[crane operator]

Shipping is going to be a significant part of the overall cost for these guys.

I paid $9,000 to get a 40 ton link belt truck crane from vegas to sw missouri. 67,000 lbs, not overwidth, but a 26' well. 1,500 miles so around $6/ mile. There's a lot of permits between here and there.

The hauler is a guy I know from Kansas City and is used to hauling cranes. I'm sure I could have gotten it hauled cheaper off a load board, but a extra $1,500 for me not to have to worry about it, is money well spent.

You just need to figure the hauling into the cost of the crane when you are shopping. Just figure around $5,000 for the hauling, and another $5,000 for fixing whats wrong with the crane.

Because there's always something wrong that's going to take some money to fix. It might only be $2,500, but it might be $10,000. And it wouldn't be a total shock if it was $15,000. You won't really know until you get it and run it. But if the drop box/ transmission is going out of the rt you get, you're going to have to pull it out and fix it.

 

[skyking1]

The current plan is for me to go down and do a pre-purchase inspection, set up, operational check. I would hope to discover anything as harsh as a transmission problem at that point.

 

[crane operator]

Just because we were talking about terex cranes, I know nothing else about the pictures, except these are terex booms.

 

[skyking1]

What the What!
That reminded me of these really neat linkaged dock cranes in Germany that would hold the load mostly when booming down, but that is an intentional design.

 

[Quick_Mick]

Ouch, so that’s what that bold line on the load chart means

 

[skyking1]

I'd be critical of that pick too.

 

[skyking1]

The 22 ton Link-Belt in Idaho:
I had the salesman send me pictures of the boom tip. The owner was the operator and never did use the fly, but you can see the big hole where the fly pin is missing. So it does have 91' of boom and a good enough chart.
Then I had him send me this end-on picture. Two-blocked and not fixed.


I think this plus the 8.2 4 stroke GMC is a no-go.

 

[crane operator]

Snugged it right up in there, didn't he.

 

[skyking1]

there is the hole for the fly pin, somebody must have used the fly pin for a paperweight or something.
This thing is too rough.

 

[skyking1]

zoom in on the two block picture and see where the cable is sawing in a new path. Maybe that is a lubrication applicator, but it looks like steel to me. That top shiv shaft is buggered too.

 

[crane operator]

You would have fun trying to pull that pin to put block in. Torch time, or cut off wheel in the grinder. It would be tough to try to straighten out that boom head.

There's more cranes for sale.

 

[Knepptune]

Here’s one I’d think about. I think it’s a tad high but looks to be in really good shape. And it’s in Oregon.

https://www.cranetrader.com/listing/for-sale/210314895/1988-grove-at422e-all-terrain-cranes

same guy has this tms300 for sale. Its a lot more crane but not nearly as easy to get around in.
https://www.cranetrader.com/listing/for-sale/210314701/1980-grove-tms300-telescopic-boom-truck-cranes

while the tms300 isn’t my favorite model that is a lot of crane for that money, and from the photos it looks pretty good. It doesn’t say which engine is in it but it’s either a Cummins 855 or 6-71 Detroit. The Detroit is a bit gutless but there’s nothing wrong with that engine. Crane op had(maybe still has) a tms300 with the Detroit. Good solid crane.

 

[crane operator]

Here’s one I’d think about. I think it’s a tad high but looks to be in really good shape. And it’s in Oregon.

But the 422 is only 70' of main. I always thought they should make one of those with a 95' national boom truck boom and it would be the cat's a$$ for setting trusses in my hills. But that 70' main is a killer. You couldn't do anything on main. And I think that's more $$$ than they were looking to spend.

My 300 is still in my back yard. It needs a tele cylinder resealed and I've been busy. Like for a year and half. Thanks for reminding me of things I haven't gotten done.

 

[NwbHoss]

Hello gentlemen! I am the "friend" that Kelly is helping find a crane. I can't tell you how much I appreciate all the info I have picked up here. I am a retired overhead crane operator and I gave very little .Obie crane expirence so I am getting a crash course. I am leaning hard towards the 1994 Grove RT625 in Stockton it seems like the best fit dollar for dollar but I do really like the joystick controls and main and auxiliary hoists on that RT633C

 

[skyking1]

What is the deal with the oilcanning on the bottom of the 633 boom? is that typical?

 

[skyking1]

But the 422 is only 70' of main. I always thought they should make one of those with a 95' national boom truck boom and it would be the cat's a$$ for setting trusses in my hills. But that 70' main is a killer. You couldn't do anything on main. And I think that's more $$$ than they were looking to spend.

My 300 is still in my back yard. It needs a tele cylinder resealed and I've been busy. Like for a year and half. Thanks for reminding me of things I haven't gotten done.

yes 70 is really cutting it too close for the jobsites. 80' will do OK with a good placement. That 22 ton link belt would have been the cat's pajamas with 91' with the pullout fly, if it was not a piece of junk from 50' away.

 

[crane operator]

What is the deal with the oilcanning on the bottom of the 633 boom? is that typical?

My 700b has a little bit of that, but not nearly that much.

I've never seen a "633". Everything I've seen of that model was a 635. But all that may mean is they had grove rate it at 33 ton because the union in their area was 35 ton and up required a oiler.

My 700b is actually a 730b in the book. But there's essentially no difference between a 725b, a 730b, and a 740b, except inside of 15' radius. You could get whatever version you wanted from grove.

 

[Knepptune]

Those 635’s had to light of a boom. They would pick over capacity but feel stable. The boom was the weak point. If you stayed within chart they were fine but there’s a lot of them around with damaged booms. Either oil canning or popping the welds on the top of the boom.

They weren’t as bad as the tms870’s with the 138’ main boom but still not as tough as other groves.

 

[crane operator]

and main and auxiliary hoists on that RT633C

Welcome to the party mark. We sure don't mind spending other people's money.

The big grove two speed winches are a really nice winch, but actually the smaller 5/8" winches are pretty smooth. And it sounds like you're mostly going to be setting trusses and logs, so really you wouldn't see the advantage of the bigger winches, which is really when running block doing heavier work.

And I wouldn't get bent out of shape if the machine you end up with, doesn't have two winches. I bet I don't use two winches on any of my smaller stuff more than two- three times a year. And its almost always in tripping a tank by myself. The odds of you needing two winches is very slim.

 

[crane operator]

How about a little outside the box thinking?

https://www.cranetrader.com/listing/for-sale/206874485/1988-tadano-tr-300e-rough-terrain-cranes

https://cranenetwork.com/uploads/sp...tr300e_33-ton_rough_terrain_crane_network.pdf

92' full power main plus jib. Mitsubishi power. Two winches. Tadano is really going all out for US market share, and everyone I have talked to that has run one has liked them.